PREVIEW CAPSULES: A Look At The Teams In The Big East Conference

The skinny: The Cardinals had their ups and downs, losing to Providence by 31 points in midseason, but came on strong to win the Big East tournament and make it to the Final Four. Siva, the league's preseason player of the year, leads an experienced, balanced cast. Hancock, a transfer from George Mason, adds still more experience.

The skinny: The Orange lost a lot — Dion Waiters, Fab Melo, et al — but as usual they have a ton of talent coming back, including eight upperclassmen in this era of the one-and-done. Their last season in the Big East figures to bring a lot of emotional games, including the game at UConn on Feb. 13. Among the nonconference opponents is Central Connecticut on New Year's Eve in the Dome.

The skinny: All seemed lost last year when Tim Abromaitis went down with a knee injury early in the season, but Brey held an inexperienced group together and they pulled off a series of upsets — until they were no longer considered upsets. Cooley, in particular, became a force. Now the Irish, as they begin to transition out of the Big East, have nearly everybody back.

The skinny: The Bearcats put things together after an early-season brawl with Xavier forced the suspension of several key players. They've lost some talent, such as Yancey Gates, but have a strong nucleus back, as the preseason respect from the coaches suggests. They could use more from Mbodj, in his senior year and second year out of juco.

The skinny: The Hoyas lost their three top scorers and do not have a senior. But, in Porter, they have one of the very best players in the league. They will need younger players (Trawick is a sophomore) to fill the void. Georgetown has a very tough nonconference schedule, starting with Florida in the opener.

The skinny: The Panthers, also in their final Big East season, lost Ashton Gibbs, and come off a crazy season. They were picked to be a contender, but fell on hard times in January and ended up in the CBI Tournament, in which Patterson was the MVP. Players such as Dante Taylor, who helped turn things around late, are back and Adams, a 7-foot freshman from New Zealand, will command attention.

The skinny: The Golden Eagles lost Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom from their strong 2011-12 squad, but bring back pretty good experience, especially in the backcourt, with starters Cadougan and Blue. Chris Otule, back from a knee injury, will help bolster the frontcourt. Lockett, a senior transfer from Arizona, could be an interesting addition.

The skinny: The Bulls broke through in the Big East, finishing high enough to warrant an NCAA bid, the school's first in 20 years. They've lost Augustus Gilchrist from that team, but have five seniors back and Hawkins, a top 100 recruit. USF will be especially strong in the backcourt.

The skinny: The Huskies lost a lot of talent because of NBA defections and transfers, and coach Jim Calhoun has retired. They are ineligible for the postseason but will be playing to help Ollie, signed through this season, get a long-term grip on his dream job. It will be an interesting season for UConn, which will look for more from Enosch Wolf, Niels Giffey and DeAndre Daniels to supplement a strong backcourt, a season with little to lose and much to gain.

The skinny: The Red Storm had one of their youngest teams ever, and a tumultuous season, with coach Steve Lavin missing most of it as he recovered from prostate cancer. Moe Harkless, a fabulous freshman, went to the NBA. Lavin is back, and some stability should follow. Obekpa, a local kid, was heavily recruited and figures to have front-court impact. Harrison (17.0) was the top freshman scorer in the league last season.

The skinny: Rutgers had some season, knocking off the likes of Florida, UConn, Pitt and Notre Dame, yet losing to DePaul and several mid-majors. Like several Big East teams, Rutgers has strong, experienced guards, and a real home-court advantage at the RAC. As a freshman, Carter averaged 14 points against Big East opponents.

The skinny: Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns left after last season, and the Wildcats had some chemistry issues. For instance, they blew a huge lead and lost at home to a struggling UConn team late in the season. They now have a little more experience, and Pinkston, who came on at the end of his freshman season, should be an impact swing player, and Yarou a rugged rebounder.

The skinny: The Demons have spent most of their Big East history at the bottom of the league; can they climb a few rungs this season? They return Melvin (17.5), the top returning scorer in the Big East, and nearly all of last season's nucleus. Stuart Pirri, a transfer grad student from Rice, and sophomore Montray Clemons, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, are newcomers who could make some difference.

The skinny: The Pirates won their first 14 games last year, beating West Virginia and UConn in back-to-back home games in early January to raise hopes and crack the polls. Then they sunk back and ended up missing the tournament. Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore, heart and soul of that team, are gone, and Willard must start over. Wilson, from Hillhouse, will have a chance for a bigger role.

Providence

Last season: 15-17, 4-14

Coach: Ed Cooley

Top players: Vincent Council, LaDontae Henton, Kadeem Batts

Keep an eye on: Kris Dunn

The skinny: Cooley, in his second year, seemed shocked that the Friars were picked last by the league coaches. Last season the Friars stunned Louisville by 31 points and nearly knocked UConn out of tournament contention late in the season. Council is a top-flight guard; Henton, Batts and Bryce Cotton are experienced players. Lots of attention will be focused on Dunn, the top recruit from New London, but he is recovering from shoulder surgery and won't return until midseason at the earliest.